Almost Is Never Enough
by michellemtsu
Summary: Henry and David conspire to ease the increasing tension between Killian and Emma. Set sometime after 3.13 Witch Hunt.


**Author's note:** Just a little something to soothe the wait for Sunday. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Nope, still not mine.

Killian slid into the booth, his false hand banging hard on the table. Several heads turned his way, but nearly all of them went back to their food after getting a good look at the thunderous look on his face. He didn't know why he was so angry and annoyed. Wait. That was a lie. He knew exactly why. And it had everything to do with a certain blonde savior, the single stubbornest woman he had _ever_ met.

The hell of it was, Killian knew deep down he didn't have a right to be angry. He and Swan weren't...anything, not really. Sure, she looked to him for reassurance and guidance. She included him in all the plans and missions against their current green foe. Hell, her father was his friend. But anything more than a fleeting look of..._something_ appeared to be beyond her. He knew she was scarred and damaged, knew what he was getting into when he fell in love with her, but sometimes a man needed a break. Or a crumb. "Good" had been so long ago, Killian sometimes thought he'd imagined it. That single word had sustained him for more for a _year_, and now that Emma was back in his life...he wanted more. Maybe that made him a selfish bastard. But he wanted to know what it would be like to hold her, to kiss her and have it _not_ be a one time thing, to wake up next to her...to make love to her. He wanted _everything_, and he wanted it with Emma.

Having her _so_ close, and yet _so_ far, was slowly driving him mad.

"You gonna drink that?"

Killian was roused from his reverie by Henry sliding into the booth across from him. He raised a brow in surprise, but didn't respond. He didn't want his ire at the boy's mother to be taken out on the son.

Henry didn't really seem phased by Killian's non response. "It's okay, you know. You don't have to talk."

Killian glanced around for some other member of the lad's rather prestigious family. "Shouldn't someone be watching you?"

Henry rolled his eyes. "Please. I'm almost thirteen. I can handle walking down the twenty feet from the bed and breakfast to here. I live in New York, remember?"

Killian chuckled, knowing Henry must think him daft. "Aye, I remember all too well."

"And _you_ still haven't changed your clothes. Why's that?"

"I have. You just haven't been around enough to notice," he lied. Frankly, Killian didn't see any reason to change his attire. He laundered it frequently enough. What was this world's obsession with his clothing?

"I may not have my mom's superpower, but _you_ are a bad liar." Henry stole a fry off Killian's plate. He hadn't even noticed the She Wolf put it in front of him. "Anyway, that's not why I'm here."

"And why are you here? Does your mum know where you are?"

"No, but she'd be okay with this." Henry gestured between the two of them, another fry in his hand.

"How do you know that?" Henry had that same slightly unnerving way of seeing right through him, just as Emma did. Oddly, it was one of the things Killian liked best about him.

"Because she likes you." Whatever Killian had been expecting him to say, it wasn't that. Henry grinned. "And I _know_ you like her."

Killian picked up a fry and shoved it into his mouth, unable to truly formulate a response. Henry didn't seem to mind though. "It's okay, you know. That you like her. If you were worried about me. You should ask her out."

Killian sighed. "Lad, I don't know what you _think_ you know, but there is nothing going on between me and your mother." It pained him to get the words out, but in the strictest sense, they were the truth. And Emma seemed determined to keep it that way.

Henry gave him a look of disbelief that only a teenage boy was capable of. "I may be a kid, but I'm not stupid. She dropped our whole life to come up to this super weird town to work on your case. You guys hang out _all_ the time. And she talks about you constantly."

For the barest second, Killian allowed himself to hope. "Constantly, eh? Do tell, young master."

Henry shrugged. "Mostly...she just sounds annoyed. And she does it when she thinks I can't hear her. But trust me, that's a _good_ sign."

"And why's that?"

"Well, that's how she started with Walsh." Killian tried desperately to ignore the tiny flash of jealousy he felt over a sodding flying monkey. Still, that monkey had spent nearly a year with Emma while he'd been missing her. Henry didn't notice anything amiss though; he simply plowed on. "But that's how you can tell when you've gotten under her skin. Believe me, I know." Henry grinned conspiratorially. Yes, Killian could imagine the lad driving Emma barmy every now and again. "Which is why you should ask her out."

"Look, Henry..." Killian didn't want to get into this, not with everything going on. Things Henry didn't – couldn't – know about. Emma would have his head. There just wasn't time to negotiate the ins and outs of courting Emma Swan, not with the Wicked Witch breathing down their necks.

"Just think about it, okay? I promise I won't say anything to her."

That was a scenario he could accept. "Aye."

Henry smiled approvingly. "But I do have a question for you."

_That_ made Killian uncomfortable. He knew Henry was getting more and more suspicious the longer they stayed in Storybrooke. The issue of what to do about her son's missing memories was one he and Emma discussed often. But Killian wasn't sure how to handle a question that had anything to do with witches or curses.

"Are you really a pirate?"

"Why would you think I'm a pirate?"

"I've only seen _Pirates of the Caribbean_ about twenty times," Henry said, a bit exasperated. "And I've heard Mom mention it. You dress in black all the time. But you wear it better than Captain Jack does."

Killian didn't know who precisely this Captain Jack was, but he was certain he didn't want to know. He'd probably wind up challenging the sodding fool to a duel in his present state. "Henry..."

"_Henry!_ There you are!" Emma's voice filled the diner as the door jangled behind her. "Granny said you'd left, but she didn't know where you'd gone. What did I tell you about leaving the room without permission?"

"Mom, I only went next door!" Henry started to protest, but Killian cut him off.

"It's my fault, love," he said. "I asked the lad to lunch. Practically dragged him kicking and screaming."

Emma raised a disbelieving brow, but didn't contradict him. "Fine, but I need to borrow you for a while. We have a lead on...you know. The case. Henry, I'm leaving you with Mary Margaret."

Henry sighed in defeat. "Just let me get my game first."

Emma held out her hand; it contained that small box Henry played games on. "Already got it. Come on. Both of you." She tossed a twenty on the table for Ruby and headed out of the diner, expecting the two of them to follow her.

After they dropped Henry off with Snow, Emma drove them out to the town line. Neither of them spoke very much. Killian was turning over Henry's words in his head, but still thought if he pushed her, she'd have nothing else to do with him. He wanted Emma to _want_ him. Wanted it so badly his chest hurt. So he decided to get on with the mission and drown his sorrows later.

"David suggested we do another search, see if we can figure out where she's keeping the flying monkeys," Emma explained as she got out of the car. "Since you and I are the only ones who can cross the line, you drew the short straw."

"You know how much I adore spending time with you, Swan."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Come on." She was doing it again, keeping him at a distance. Killian gritted his teeth and followed her into the forest.

They searched high and low, sometimes poking ineffectually at the ground with a stick to see if there were any unusual depressions in the soft muddy ground. They were again mostly silent, but it wasn't a comfortable silence. Killian was too distracted by his conversion with Henry. The boy truly seemed to think Emma felt something for him and while Killian believed that was true – he'd have never tried True Love's Kiss if he hadn't – he believed the first move should come from Emma. He respected her choice too much to push her where she didn't want to go.

"Alright, out with it, Hook."

Killian stopped several feet from her; Emma looked a bit belligerent, hands on her hips. He sighed heavily. "I have no idea what you mean, love."

"You've been avoiding me. And brooding. I can see it on your face. So don't give me the song and dance routine, okay?"

"Contrary to popular belief, Swan, my life does not revolve around you."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you being deliberately obtuse?" Killian asked, his temper flaring. He'd just needed _one day_ of peace. One day to fortify his heart before going back into this battle. But true to form, he couldn't even get that. "The whole bloody town thinks I'm your personal whipping boy."

"That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" He couldn't force her to see it. To see the love drowning his eyes, pouring out of him in waves. If she didn't want it, fine, but to see her _mock_ him...Killian turned on his heel and stalked off, not wanting to argue anymore.

"Get back here, you stubborn ass! We're not done." When Killian just kept walking, Emma started after him, angry footsteps crunching the fallen leaves.

"What do you want from me, Emma?" Killian demanded, turning to face her. He couldn't help but notice how her anger and frustration reddened her cheeks and brightened her eyes. It was very fetching, gods help him.

His question brought her up short. "What do you mean?"

Killian looked down at the ground, trying to muster his courage. What he was about to say could ruin their tenuous relationship. "You know how I feel, Emma. Gods know I've tried to give you your space, whatever you need. But I crossed worlds to find you, to _save_ you. And I just...I don't know, love." He raised his eyes and gave her an apologetic look, the anger draining out of him. "I don't have the right to ask anything of you. I'm sorry."

Emma stood there for what felt like a lifetime, just staring at him. She was looking at him like she'd never seen him before. Or was truly seeing him for the first time. "I didn't ask you to do any of those things," she said somewhat helplessly.

"I know you didn't. But I hoped..." He shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

Emma shook her head. "It _does_ matter," she said emphatically. "It does. No one's ever done anything like that for me before. No one." She shuffled her feet uncomfortably. "I know I haven't...I didn't thank you. For coming back, waking me up. You were right, I didn't want to live a life of lies."

"I'd do it again," Killian said sincerely. "I'd do anything for you."

"And _that_ scares the shit out of me," Emma said softly. "I've never known anyone like you, Killian. I'm always expecting people to leave me. But you always come back." She stepped closer, resting her hand on his left arm. "I'm not...good at this. And we have all these things going on with the Witch. And Henry. But you _do_ matter to me. I'd miss you if you were gone." She paused. "I know it's not what you want to hear right now. But...give me time?"

She looked so hopeful Killian couldn't help but smile. He had gotten his crumb. "Aye, I can do that."

When they returned to her parents' residence, they were in a much better mood. They hadn't found anything significant with regard to their actual mission, but what had happened in the forest was even more important. They had an understanding.

Killian was so absorbed in Emma he never noticed the look shared by Henry and David, the one that said everything had gone exactly to plan.


End file.
